IV 



MEADOWS AND PASTURES (Conduaed) 

 LONGEVITY OF MEADOWS 



he length of time a meadow will last depends 

 I * | on the grasses of which it is composed, on 

 lallggll the climate and the character of the soil, and 

 on the treatment it receives. Meadows of 

 Bermuda grass, blue-grass, or alfalfa last almost in- 

 definitely with proper treatment, and remain as prolific 

 as at first ; in fact, the}' increase in productiveness 

 for some years after they are laid down. Meadows of 

 other grasses usually produce their largest yield the 

 first year a crop is obtained, and will drop to about half 

 this amount in one or two 3-ears more unless well 

 manured. Even with good manuring, meadows of the 

 common hay grasses of this country seldom remain as 

 productive as they were the first year. Most of our 

 meadows become weedy in a few years. A weedy 

 meadow is an eyesore on any farm. The best remedy 

 is to plow it up and run it through the regular rota- 

 tion, so as to give a chance to destroy the weeds. If 

 it is good arable land, and is not in blue-grass, 

 Bermuda grass, 01 alfalfa, the best plan is to keep 

 meadows down only two years, unless they are wanted 

 for pasture for a year or two longer. It is, of course, 

 recognized that special conditions may render it desir- 

 able to keep a meadow down for a longer time. If 

 42 



